If you know me or have been following this blog for a while, you know I'm a fan of merino wool clothing of all types for all types of outdoor activities. It keeps you warm in the cold, and cool in the heat, wicks moisture, and is naturally anti-bacterial to keep that funky smell at bay. So also being a Surly fan of course, when they came out with this item a couple of years ago, I said, "TAKE MY MONEY NOW!"

In addition to all the great things about wool that I've already mentioned, this shirt has all the things you'd expect in a cycling-specific clothing item. The sleeves and the bottom have plenty of extra length to keep you covered while hunkered down (or not, as you prefer) in the bike-riding position. Tagless, so nothing scratching the back of your neck.

So, you're asking, "What's with that really big neck hole?" With the horizontal stripe pattern, I'm lookin' more like a French Mime than a Tour de France rider (but of course, mime is money). I was a bit put off by the big neck hole at first, too. But, consider that this item is mainly meant to wear as a base layer. Stick a jersey with a tall neck over top of it, then a jacket with a tall nick over top of that. Even on a pencil-necked geek like me, there's only so much space around your neck for all that tall-necked clothing. So, you'll appreciate the sparse material around the neck of the Raglan shirt to give you some breathing room, literally.

And about those stripes. Well, that was the original color. It's now available in much more "mainstream" colors (see below).

I have the Surly Raglan Shirt with me almost all the time when I'm bike commuting, bicycle touring, or bikepacking. It packs up all nice and tiny to hide in the corner of your bike bag, until that time when you're all, "Hey, it's a bit more nippy out here than I expected."

The Surly Raglan Long-Sleeve Merino Wool T-Shirt comes in unisex sizes Extra-Small through Extra-Extra-Large. Sizing is pretty standard, i.e. if you wear a Large in everything else, a Large oughta work just peachy for you with this. Just $75.00 each (hey, those merino sheep gotta eat) by special-order from your nearest Century Cycles store. Get one today and make Lord Raglan proud!